The governor-appointed Board of Regents serving Texas State Technical College System gave its approval Thursday for the 11-location
college system to pursue single accreditation with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. The transition is
considered a demanding endeavor but one that is expected to be completed by Sept. 15, 2015 and should strengthen TSTC’s ability to supply a
skilled workforce for the Texas economy.

“As an agency of the state of Texas, TSTC has a mission of helping Texas meet the high-tech workforce challenges in today’s global economy,”
said Ellis Skinner, Chairman of the TSTC Board of Regents. “TSTC is making this move to single accreditation to reduce operational redundancy
among its four colleges, allow horizontal integration for better collaboration, and improve its ability to respond to the local needs served
by each campus,” added Skinner.

“As the demand for a technically skilled workforce accelerates, we regularly field calls from communities ‘wanting a TSTC’ in their region,”
said Michael L. Reeser, TSTC Chancellor. “Given the growing skills gap for technically skilled workers in Texas and the nation, TSTC can reasonably
expect the demand for our graduates to grow at a faster rate in the future than in the past. Once we transition to a single accreditation, we will
be better positioned to respond in a more consistent manner.”

Reeser added, “Texas taxpayers expect TSTC to be both effective and efficient. A single accreditation will save us hundreds of thousands
of dollars each year in overhead costs while providing a more consistent high-quality outcome across the state. This change demonstrates that
TSTC is serious about maximizing the benefits produced by public funds.”

According to the 2014 report issued by the Texas
Workforce Boards, “It is becoming more common that businesses
in key industries in Texas are unable to find enough
sufficiently trained workers to fill available, middle-skill jobs.”
TSTC offers programs and credentials targeted specifically
toward those high-paying jobs.